Dear Jann Parish,
the CMO of Victoria’s Secret,
The Problem
I am a photographer. But before that, I was in front of the camera: a model. Not like an actual, signed model, but I have and still do model for photographers. I have a large portfolio for not being signed and have thought about seeking another agency to get signed. Key word: another. I met with a modeling agency, got interviewed, and eventually was asked to sign with them. As the owner of the agency was telling me that he wanted me to sign with them, he was repeatedly telling me that I was very short and other agencies wouldn’t sign me because of my height. Despite that comment being rude, he was right. My height was always going to be an issue. Most women models are 5’8” or taller. Me being at 5’2” was clearly noticeable and will always be an obstacle for me in the modeling world. I ended up not signing with him because he was incredibly creepy. I had a bad feeling like if I signed with him, he would take advantage of me or eventually force me to do things I would not be comfortable with. On top of that, I didn’t sign with him because I wanted to sign with an agency that was supportive of my height, not an agency that dangled it in front of me as a trap, to make me feel stuck with them. I wanted an agency that embraced my differences. Do those even exist?
The photographers who ask me to model are brave. I’m Hispanic, I’m short, I have big breasts, and thick legs. I am not super skinny, and my muscles are not lean. The photographers who photograph me embrace my differences, my curves, and my soul. And I am grateful for them for doing just that. I once approached a famous photographer from where I graduated high school. He photographed one of my best friends who also models. She is gorgeous. She has a small waist, smaller breasts, and a thigh gap. His photos are always gorgeous and the ones of her were incredible. I asked him if he would want to work together sometime. He said no. Later I was talking to my friend who he photographed about it. I explained how it hurt my feelings that he didn’t want to work with me but that it was okay. I accepted it. She later explained that he had told her that he doesn’t work with models with big breasts. That he feels they look too pornographic.
I have countless of other personal stories just like that. But the longer I was modeling, the more I paid attention to society’s models, especially the ones of big companies. I have a certain taste in fashion and I will support the brands that I love, despite them sometimes only portraying the models inside the “norms”. However, it does pleasantly surprise me when brands actually show different sizes, different shapes, and different ethnicities and races in the clothing items. It makes me want to buy their products more than companies that don’t show different sizes. A hint for you: I believe that if a company showed different shaped and sized models in an item of clothing, that they would sell more. Why? If I see a girl with small breasts in a swimsuit I’m interested in, I don’t know how it’d fit me. However, if I see a girl with bigger breasts in a swimsuit, and that swimsuit covers what I want covered, I’m hitting that buy-button so fast. Women want to know how a clothing item is going to fit and look on them.
Validating My Problem
To make sure I wasn’t complaining simply because my big breasts can turn any outfit into a scandal or hit my face when I jump, I conducted one survey and one Instagram poll.
My survey consisted of four questions:
1. Are you a woman?
2. How old are you?
3. Do you wish there was a more diverse pool of models? Examples: different heights, sizes, races and ethnicities, bra sizes etc.
4. Would it be helpful if companies showed diverse models in an item of clothing? Example: A swimsuit. A model with size A cup, a model with size B, a model with size C, etc.
Twenty-nine women responded to this poll. Their ages ranged from 18 to 40+. The results of this survey supported my problem and hypothesis: women want to know how a clothing item is going to fit and look on them.
The results from question number three and four can be seen below:
About 93 percent said they wish there was a more diverse pool of models. Almost one-hundred percent answered yes to number four, showing that it would in fact be helpful if companies could show different bra-sized women in clothing items.
My Instagram poll proves that brands, like Victoria’s Secret, that only show models with the “perfect model bodies” can make women become more self-conscious about their bodies.
If I had a larger following, I’m sure I could get more responses. Honestly, I’m guessing a lot more women feel this way, especially my big-boobie committee (that’s right, we wanted a committee too). Why have very few companies (i.e. Aerie by American Eagle, Dove, Nike) decide to start including diverse body-types in their advertising, social media, and/or websites? I feel like our (women’s) cry for body-positivity has been an uproar?
Do you hear it?
Are you even listening?
Please don’t get me wrong, I love Victoria’s Secret. I love how even though the models are all extremely tall and thin, that they are beautiful inside, as well as out. They speak up on women’s rights, equality, love, politics, sports, and other important, diverse topics. I love how they all seem like they have good hearts. I love how Victoria’s Secret has different races and ethnicities. I love it. But, why can’t you include different sizes?
Are you embarrassed of breasts that sag a little bit? Are you embarrassed of stretch marks and cellulite? Are you embarrassed of rolls and scars?
The media being embarrassed has in turn made girls embarrassed of their own bodies. Their real bodies. Their beautiful bodies. Let’s take a look at how media usually represents women.
Representation of Women in Media
As you probably know, media has developed unrealistic expectations for women. From sexualizing the women body so much that Carl’s Jr. makes it look like women can reach their best orgasm eating their burgers or fish sandwiches, to smoothing out every detail in their skin so they look wrapped in plastic. It’s not fantastic. These unrealistic expectations have hurt people, including the models in those photos.
Ashley Graham spoke out in her TedTalk, “I was never going to fit the narrow mold that society wanted me to fit in. I was never going to be perfect enough for an industry that defines perfection from the outside in.”
Cara Delevingne’s modeling career made her battle with depression so hard she developed psoriasis. She states in her Motivation Madness interview that modeling “wasn’t nice” and that “you’re constantly told that you’re not pretty enough, and not tall enough, and not skinny enough.”
These expectations are affecting women’s body image negatively and creating self-confidence issues.
Body Image Issues
This is the last topic I want to discuss with you. Growing up five-foot has not been easy. Growing up short and muscular has not been easy. Growing up short, muscular, no thigh gap, size 32-double-d and bigger arms has not been easy. But, why hasn’t it been easy? Because, Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Free People, Urban Outfitters, etc. have been showing me society’s idea of beautiful my whole life. And society’s idea of beautiful is not me. It is five-foot-nine, with a thigh gap, size B cup size, bronzed and flawless skin, and a 22-inch waist. The opposite of me. I am 21-years-old, and I struggle with my body image, but I am not alone.
Jean Kilbourne from Harvard wrote an article about ‘Advertising’s toxic effect on eating and body image’. In the article, Kilbourne explains that, “the average American encounters 3,000 advertisements every day, and spends a total of two years watching TV commercials in their lifetime. At the center of many of these ads is an image of idealized female beauty. Models are tall, slim, and light skinned, and digitally altered to ever-more unrealistic proportions. Women and girls compare themselves to these images every day, and failure to live up to them is inevitable because they are based on a flawlessness that doesn’t exist.”
A 32DD’s Advice to You
Have I convinced you yet?
Are you ready to step up and help women of all ages realize that they are beautiful?
When you’re casting your next Victoria’s Secret show, or your next photoshoot, or simply debating whether or not to photoshop that stretch mark, remember:
All body-types are real. All body-types are beautiful.
Please listen to the people. It just might increase your sales.
Sincerely,
Drea Torres
Kilbourne, J. (Kilbourne, n.d.) . Advertising’s toxic effect on eating and body image. Harvard. Retrieved on July 27, 2018, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/advertisings-toxic-effect-on-eating-and-body-image/
Delevingne, C. (April 2018). Youtube. Retrieved on July 27, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfvYlWG1cA0
Graham, A. (May 2015). Youtube. Retrieved on July 27, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAgawjzimjc
Victoria’s Secret. (May 2018). Youtube. Retrieved on July 27, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkS_ZR1NR-o
Aerie. Youtube. Retrieved on July 27, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ6wwJ6Qaf4
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